This was a really fun and easy to read story! A spirit seeing detective in the heart of seoul investigating a suicide that he believes to be committed by supernatural elements!

The story jumps straight into the plot and I enjoyed the the world-building. Would love to read more??!! Connections to other agencies in Japan and China? How cool does that sound!!

Some great bi and trans rep as well. Something not often seen in Korean lit.

I received an Advanced Reading Copy from Netgalley.

Here is a story about spirits, Korean shamanism, and exorcisms in modern day Seoul. Our main character, Kim Han-gil, is a detective with the Seoul Metropolitan police but that's just his day job. His detective work supports his other work, hunting and exorcising evil spirits.

For a debut publication, it was really well done. I am not usually fond of novellas because I find the length odd, too long to be a short story but too short to be a well developed book. This novella turned out to be a pleasant surprise. In only 150 pages, it managed to create a gripping plotline while providing enough character development to robustly tell a story. There was just enough mystery to leave you wanting more. You become invested in the characters and curious about events that are only hinted at in this book. I'm really hoping that this will be the beginning of a series. I'd love to learn more about Kim Han-gil's history. The supporting characters were also intriguing. Just enough was told about his adoptive sister and his back-up support to pull you in and make you want to know more of their backstories. The ending felt a little bit rushed and anti-climactic. Overall, the book wrapped up the story nicely and was a really fun short read. It has the feel of a 90 minute Asian horror film. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to future works from the author.

Publishing date:
04.03.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The book as a meal: A fantastic blend of spices and comforting ingredients in a tasty soup
The book left me: Wanting more like this, and a continuation of the story please ...

Negatives:
Repeats descriptions a lot, often on the same page
Conversations flow a little strangely
Characters can seem very irrational with no proper reason for it
Not so much a mystery, more so a "oh no it broke, not we have to fix it"

Positives:
Characters have surprising amount of depth for such a short story
The plot moves naturally
Great dynamic between the characters

Features:
Lots of korean culture, myths, spiritualism, talismans, a tiny cameo with sign language, lots of queer representation, possensions, multiple POV's

Why did I choose this one?
I was craving a mystery again, but since I can't stand the usual "whodunnit" killer kind ... I opted for a more fantasy-esque book. This was an absolute success in those terms

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Pick-Up-Able. Very engaging story, got me hooked.

What was the vibe and mood?
It had a very heavy and serious kind of vibe to it. As if everything was hung on a thin thread ready to snap at any moment, but we gotta be safe before we attempt to climb it. It also reminded me of "Constantine" a lot, similar mood there.

The descriptions of people spirit energy also brought with it some "phantom smells" for me, so I could constantly "smell" whatever was happening on page. Very freaky, and very cool

Final ranking and star rating?
A tier, 4 stars. Very good book. I will be on the lookout for this author again. Vibed with the writing and the character work a lot. Will also be recommending this around in my circle, I think it might surprise a lot of people

"Small Gods of Calamity" by Sam Kyung Yoo is a short but engaging paranormal mystery novella that touches upon some significant themes.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The pacing was brisk, and the writing was easy to follow, even though English isn’t my first language.

Kim Han Gil was an intriguing protagonist. It was compelling to see him struggle with his place in society due to his past and how it had shaped him, as well as his sexuality and talents in the paranormal context. His actions were consistent with his characterization. Watching him deal with his personal struggles and gradually overcome them was very believable. It made me feel seen and understood in my own struggles, while also showing me that there is always hope and that I am not alone in what I’m experiencing.


Serious topics like discrimination based on sexuality, grief, forgiveness, and depression were handled thoughtfully and given the time and tone they required.

My only complaints are that I wished the story was longer because I only felt the strong connection to the characters near the end. The ending itself also felt a bit anticlimactic. Additionally, I would have liked more time to explore the side characters, such as Kim’s sister and his new work partner.

All in all the mythological elements, the characters, and the tone of the story were fascinating. I hope to read a sequel to delve deeper into this world.

Thank you to The Publisher ,The Author & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

Basics
Author: they/them
Genre: urban fantasy, horror
Setting: South Korea
Themes: possession, rage, retribution, forgiveness
Mood: dark, haunted

Main Characters
Kim Han-gil: a police officer in the violent crimes unit who can see spirits
Shin Yoonhae: the person Han-gil never wants to see again

Pros
+ biromantic, asexual rep
+ trans rep
+ hearing impairment & Korean Sign Language rep
+ parasitic soul-stealing worms 🪱
+ the writing is stunning, lush, yet succinct and pared down (my favorite)
+ Han-gil has the ability to not only sense spirits, but also spiritual energy. From peachwood inscriptions that sound like the brush that was used or threads that bind and protect, the depictions of his senses are really beautiful and captivating.
+ Paper talismans warding against calamity! I just know some creepy sh*t is going down in that place once those are discovered. Kdramas with shaman elements (Somebody, Destined with You, etc) have taught me so.
+ Spiritualists all experience spirits differently, some sensory experienced, some as colors and flames, etc. Very cool idea.
+ I LOVE THIS! The author's imagination is truly awesome.
+ the body horror elements are excellent 👌
+ I would LOVE this to become a series. I'm very invested in this world and characters.

Cons
- none

TW: death of a child (off-page), spirits, murder of a parent (off-page), transphobia (on-page), dead-naming a trans character (on-page), gore, blood, possession, body horror, anxiety disorder

Comp Recs: Soul Eater by Lily Mayne (for the parasitic soul-stealing worms🪱)

I felt like the author could have spent more time developing the story. Was interested initially in the storyline and the idea of a ghost seeing detective was cool but ultimately the story was just okay.

4.5 ⭐️

This book is part crime-thriller, part urban fantasy. Kim Han-gil, Seoul’s only spirit detective, being the main character.

Sometimes when reading other books I've felt like I was reading about the same character over and over again, just with different names and appearances. But Sam Kyung Yoo has done an incredible job creating all these diverse people. I loved even the most gruesome ones.

Although I would recommend having some knowledge in Korean culture to read this book, I think you can still read it not knowing much. I'm not that familiar with Japanese and Chinese spiritualism so there were some terms I had to look up, but you can just read the book and figure out almost everything by just continuing your read. I'd definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy k-dramas and Korean movies.

Now, talking about the illustration used for the cover: I'm fascinated by other designs made by RiotBones, but I must say this cover misleaded me a little bit because it gave me Scooby Doo vibes (not sure why, sorry), and thought I was going to read some YA murder mystery with lots of funny moments. Luckily for me, this book is as dark as black coffee by the window on a stormy night while dogs bark outside (YES, I LOVE IT). It's gory, it's emotional and very sad at times, yet done with sensiblity.

BUT not everything is grim and dark. In this book every spiritualist perceives spirit energy differently. And there's this scene where the MC Han-gil and other person are in Han-gil's car, and instead of listening to music on the radio HE IS LISTENING TO THEIR SOUL?!?!?!?? HELLOO???? That's one of the most beautiful things I've ever read.

I'm not used to reading novellas, in fact, I think this is the first novella I've ever read. And I think that's why I didn't give it 5 stars. I would have liked more background on the side-characters who were also super interesting but we know the bare minimum about them and their relationship with Kim Han-gil. Obviously, if the book had been longer, all of this could have been explored in more depth. Nonetheless, despite its length, author Sam Kyung Yoo does an excellent job.

I had a great experience reading Small Gods of Calamity and would love to read more about this world and its characters. I'll definitely give it a try to anything Sam Kyung Yoo writes if it's just as good as this book! I'm also thinking about buying a physical copy to annotate it as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Interstellar Flight Press, and Sam Kyung Yoo for providing me with this ARC

4,5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5 ⭐️ for NetGalley and GoodReads.

This was an absolute banger for me!!

So bear with me. I don't really do novellas. Once in a while, I'll pick one up but I always find them lacking either in world-building or character-building. But Small Gods of Calamity had none of these issues!! In 151 pages (according to my NetGalley app), Sam Kyung Yoo manages to create a fascinating world of spirits, and a cast of characters who are perfectly unperfect.

Sam Kyung Yoo also manages to touch upon queerness and transphobia in an elegant way. These topics can be so rough and complicated to touch upon, and yet they manage to do so by allowing the characters to be something other than just their sexual or gender identity.

I was fascinated with the paranormal aspect of the story and loved the added mystery elements. I wish that Wonshik (Hang-gil's partner) had been more present in the story, especially at the end. A bit of a missed opportunity for me I think, as having a "non-spirit practitioner" (is that how we should refer to them?) discover this world.

Finally, I absolutely loved the complicated relationship between Hang-gil and Yoonhae. From their rough start, to their new comfort around each other in the end. I'm hoping we'll get to see more of these two in hopefully later books.

So why not a full 5 ⭐️ rather than 4.5 ⭐️.... I WANTED MORE!!! More of the story, more of Wonshik, and more of Hang-gil and Yoonhae's relationship... hard to do with only 151 pages I know! But I guess that's a me problem.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley for providing us with an advance reader's copy of this book!

Kim Han Gil is a spirit detective who works for a police station in Seoul. He, naturally, has a bad reputation due to the bad things happening around him. One day, he gets paired with a new partner, Choi Woo Shik who, unlike the previous policemen, tries his best to understand the detective even though he's mostly left in the dark. While investigating an odd incident, the two run into a case of spirit worm possession. With only Han Gil aware of the consequences and root cause of the crime they investigate, the two split up and do their best to prevent other people falling victims to the evil worm. While on the hunt, Han Gil runs into an old acquaintance who replaces his older partner on the hunt. Among old resentments and a common pain, it is up to the two to solve the case and save humankind.

A couple of thoughts:
🐛 Quite a few representations of the LGBTQ+. In fact, one of the main characters is part of the spectrum himself. And so is the one he is chasing after.

🐛 Writing flows nicely. The author's writing style is smooth, and the tale is told in a third person perspective, allowing the readers to follow the characters moving around without a hitch.

🐛 Bring me all the myths! The story is based off on quite a few East Asian myths and spiritual practices, which makes it even more intriguing and fun to read. Furthermore, the author add their own twist to how energies work and are felt, introducing the readers to new perceptions and ideas on the topic.

🐛 We're all haunted by the ghosts of the past. This is clear with both Han Gil and Yoon Hae. It's visible in their actions and their words and their thoughts. The characters are bound to navigate through their guilt ridden territory and resentment while also fighting their own demons.

🐛 Is this a K-drama or a book? I couldn't help but feel like I'm actually watching a thriller K-drama while reading this story and wondering who would be best suited for each role and how it would all look like at the end.

It’s amazing how much action this little book packed in with less than 200 pages. This is my first Korean based fantasy book and it was a great easy introduction to Korean culture alongside the fantasy word building. I love the mix of a fantasy with classic mystery elements. I look forward to more books set in this world to further develop the magic system.

A short novel or a long novel, a good mix of horror and thriller. Great world building, good storytelling, a gripping and entertaining plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book was definitely not made for me. I found it really hard to follow, and really hard to get into. I feel like this book could be very good for some people, it just wasn’t what I was expecting for myself.

(spoilers ahead)

wow! tightly woven is right - this may only be the length of a novella, but SMALL GODS OF CALAMITY packs a punch. stellar worldbuilding, truly intimate character studies, and a cast worth rooting for: what a beautiful study of love, grief, guilt - and hope, above all else. there was hope in lee junhee's recovery and choi wonshik's decided disruption of the usual pattern surrounding han-gil's partners as much as there was hope in the final lines. i really am struggling to get much of a coherent thought out there but i loved this so much. sam kyung yoo is going to go far.

e-arc provided by netgalley. thank you so much for the gifted copy!

It takes awhile for this novella to find its stride. The first few chapters are a bit awkwardly paced and there is a lot of information thrown at the reader. After chapter 3 it improves dramatically.

It follows a police detective in Seoul who can see ghosts and incorporates a mixture of Korean, Japanese and Chinese spiritualism and mythology. This part of the book I really enjoyed. It was explained well and felt integrated and fully flashed out.

The MC Han-gil is openly bi and identifies as asexual. You don't often see ace MCs, especially ones where their sexuality isn't the focus of the story.

A lot of great things were packed into this novella. If this was turned into a series I would definitely keep reading.

The story touches on transphobia in Korea and there are scenes of domestic violence against a trans person.

Small Gods of Calamity is Sam Kyung Yoo's debut urban fantasy crime-thriller novella. It blends supernatural, mythical, and cultural elements from Korea and Japan in a fast-paced spirit detective story.

On the surface, detective Kim Han-Gil of the Jongro police department is working to solve a series of suicide cases. What he is actually working on is exorcising a supernatural threat he has been chasing after for years. And, on a deeper level, he is facing his past to save those whom he cares about in the present.

While the novella length allows for a quick read and the necessary information to complete the story is provided, I would love for it to be expanded to novel lenght or further developed as a series of books.

This was a typical good mystery book that I genuinely enjoyed.

South Korea as a setting was wonderful to read about.

The mystery aspect of the book was obviously intriguing and the blend of genres was a happy surprise.

I will be looking forward to the author's next project.

Urban mystery meets crime solving detective. When it comes to paranormal activities, where others only see suicides, detective Kim Han-gil sees right through the spirits bringing these people to do abhorrent things. With a interesting side cast and a catching writing style, author Sam Kyung Yoo leaves me waiting for more.

Small Gods of Calamity is a paranormal mystery novel that takes place in Korea. Detective Kim Han-gil is a spirit detective and can talk to ghosts or see other paranormal things. This book is really short but does an amazing job of telling the story. I saw a lot of good reviews and decided to give it a chance, and I am glad I did. I really enjoyed it. The plot was fast-paced, and it had multiple layers to the story. The story was not just about solving the mystery but also about dealing with grief and family. It was such an interesting read for me and I'm definitely looking forward to checking out the author's future works. Thanks to the Interstellar Flight Press and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy.

I REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK
IT IS AMAZING
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ IT
I GIVE THIS BOOK 5 STARS

4.25
The main premise of this novella is that the main character Han Gil is a police detective, but is considered weird and made fun of behind his back by his peers because of something that shaped his childhood. this novella has elements of the supernatural, spirits, and talks of shamans and exorcisms.

This was surprisingly detailed and very well written and was able to create such unique personalities for every single character that was introduced, I love how they were able to bring in Korean customs and myths. I loved the seamless transition of the author explaining them (myths and cultures), without disrupting the mood. this made the novel more inclusive and felt easily accessible.
The way the author was able to discuss and showcase the various forms of trauma and the introduction of a queer character in Korean content made me happy (queer representation in most Asian content is still very uncommon). this is an excellent pick for people who are into jujutsu kaizen or chainsaw man and similar works.

I am looking forward to reading more works by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.